Solon inaugurates 12.3 MW Italian PV rooftop project

Berlin-based Solon will inaugurate its 12.3 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic project in Italy today. Covering an area of 250,000 square metres, it is said to be the largest project of its kind in the country.

The photovoltaic project was connected to Italy's grid between October 2010 and April 2011. Image: Flickr/Eli Brown.

Overall, 18 rooftops belonging to logistics firm Interporto di Padova have been fitted with photovoltaic systems worth 11.3 MW. A further one MW has been installed across seven of its car park shelters.

The project was officially finished in December, with grid connection occurring between October 2010 and April 2011. The "various" feed-in tariffs received fall under Italy’s second Conto Energia and are said to correspond to the different levels of integration.

Most of the photovoltaic modules used were manufactured in Solon’s factory in Carmignano di Brenta, near Padua. A total of 49,000 polycrystalline silicon modules Solon Blue and 7,500 Unisolar PVL amorphous silicon modules Unisolar PVL were used in the project. Meanwhile, it comprises 49 Power-One PVI central TL inverters.

Solon says the systems were developed by its Italian subsidiary. The company adds that the power produced will supply enough energy to meet the electricity needs of around 4,000 households.

A total of €50 million was invested into the project by Interporto Solare S.r.l., a project company jointly owned by Orizzonte SGR (Fondo Sistema Infrastrutture) and Fondaco SGR (Fondo PPP Italia). The funds were said to be backed by BIIS, Banca Infrastrutture Innovazione e Sviluppo, assisted by Banca Popolare Dell’Alto Adige Volksbank, Cassa Centrale Raiffeisen dell’Alto Adige S.p.A. and Banca Popolare di Verona S.p.A.

"Speaking for all the partners I can affirm that we are extremely pleased with our investment of over 50 million Euros, repaid by the excellent performance of the installation which in these first few months has already produced far more that Solon had initially guaranteed," commented Interporto Solare president, Giuseppe D’Agostino.